Park Chan-wook
PARK Chan-wook(1963, South Korea) studied philosophy at Sogang University, where he founded a film club and developed a strong interest in film theory. His career took off with the thriller Joint Security Area (2000), which became the highest-grossing South Korean film at the time. He is known for merging critical acclaim with commercial success, most notably with Oldboy (2003), an international cult hit. The Handmaiden (2016) was selected for the Palme d’Or competition at Cannes, and Decision to Leave (2022) earned him the Best Director Award at Cannes. In 2025, his adaptation of Donald E. Westlake’s novel The Ax, titled No Other Choice, screened at TIFF and is set for IFFR 2026.
Filmography
(selection) Daleun… haega kkuneun kkum/The Moon Is… the Sun’s Dream (1992), Simpan/Judgment (1999, short), Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok JSA/ Joint Security Area (2000), Boksuneun naui geot/Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Yeoseot gae ui siseon/If You Were Me (2003, segment Never Ending Peace and Love), Oldboy (2003), Three… Extremes (2004, co-dir), Chinjeolhan geumjassi/Lady Vengeance (2005), Ssa-i-bo-geu-ji-man-gwen-chan-a/I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006), Bakjwi/Thirst (2009), Paranmanjang/Night Fishing (2009, short, co-dir), 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero (2011, short), Stoker (2013), A Rose Reborn (2014, short), Ahgassi/The Handmaiden (2016), Decision to Leave (2022), No Other Choice (2025)
Park Chan-wook at IFFR
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No Other Choice
Park Chan-wook | 139' | South Korea | Dutch Premiere
To regain his dream life, Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) gets deadly creative in Park Chan-wook’s absurd, macabre comedy. -
Closing Film: Stoker
Park Chan-wook | 99' | South Korea | International premiere
Psychological thriller. After the death of India’s father, she and her unstable mother meet an unknown uncle figure. India suspects the mysterious cha -
The Handmaiden
Park Chan-wook | 144' | South Korea | None
Master swindler Count Fujiwara has taken an interest in the family fortune of Lady Hideko. To rob her, he conspires with her new maid Sook-hee.… -
Three… Extremes
Miike Takashi, Fruit Chan, Park Chan-wook | 125' | Hong Kong | -
Nail biting about human shortcomings comes surrealistically yet terrifyingly to the surface in three segments. Japanese Miike Takashi (of Audition and